The present invention relates to sizing of synthetic materials utilized in textile manufacturing. Specifically, the invention relates to an improved synthetic filament size composition comprising (i) a lubricant or wetting agent and (ii) a reaction product of styrene, 1,3-butadiene and starch wherein said starch is characterized by an intrinsic viscosity from about 0.07 dl/g to about 0.35 dl/g.
In the course of manufacturing textiles, fiber materials are woven together to form a cloth. In the weaving operation, feed yam, referred to as warp yarn, is fed by a loom. A weaving yarn, referred to as a filling yarn, is woven in between the individual warp yarns to form a fabric. During this operation, there is considerable abrasion between the warp yarn and filling yarn such as during the busting and weaving steps which sometimes results in breakage and an inefficient weaving operation. As used herein fiber refers to both to single filaments as well as to yarns comprising spun fibers.
Prior to weaving, fibers are normally sized by passing through a bath of water and natural and/or synthetic chemicals which adhere to fibers and by encapsulation (migration of size on the fibers) and/or penetration (migration through the fibers) protect the fibers from both yarn-to-yarn and machine abrasion. Of interest to the present invention is the disclosure of co-owned and copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/022,726 filed Feb. 24, 1993 now abandoned which relates to warp yarn sizing for natural and synthetic fiber compositions comprising (i) a basic size, (ii) a binder wherein said binder comprises starch and a reaction product of styrene and 1,3-butadiene and wherein said starch is characterized by an intrinsic viscosity of about 0.07 dl/g to about 0.35 dl/g, and (iii) a textile wax. Typical size formulations for synthetic fibers, fiberglass, spun synthetic yarns and synthetic filaments comprise water; a basic size material which is typically a synthetic polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylates, acrylics, polyester resins, and the like. Other additives useful in conventional yarn sizes include lubricants such as lauryl alcohol or finishing oil, humectents, salts, defoamers, surfactants, wetting agents, penetrating agents and the like. Typical sizing compositions for synthetic fibers comprises polyvinyl alcohol at a concentration of from about 5 to about 7% solids by weight and from about 10% to about 25% polyethylene glycol (by weight based upon polyvinyl alcohol weight). One specific sizing composition for synthetic fibers comprises 55 pounds polyvinyl alcohol. 14 pounds polyethylene glycol and 100 gallons water.
Prior to dyeing, the size must be removed from the fabric. Size materials can also build up on the cook kettle, size boxes, and the like. Accordingly, ease of removal of the size from both the fabric and the machinery is an important property for sizes. Current polyvinyl alcohol sizes for synthetic filaments are characterized by cleanup problems because of the tendency of polyvinyl alcohol subunits to bond to themselves and thus become insoluble. Acrylate sizes are not as poor with respect to cleanup as polyvinyl alcohol sizes but are expensive. Natural materials such as guar gums also suffer from being expensive.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a relatively inexpensive sizing composition for synthetic fibers that has good encapsulation, penetration, clean-up properties and provides good protection for the fiber.